Vehicle signal



W. E. ROOT.

VEHlCLE SIGNAL. y

APPLlcAloN FILED JULY 5. 1921.

Patena June 2o, 1922.

. UNITED sTArss saTENT OFFICE.

WALTER ROOT, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

VEHICLE SIGNAL.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, VALITER'E. Roo'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of the city of Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automobile signals and particularly to signals which are intended to be mounted upon the rear of a vehicle to warn drivers of following vehicles when it is desired to stop or to slacken pace.

The object of my invention is to provide a signal of the character described which is simply constructed and which may be easily operated either automatically or manually.

A further object is to combine with a danger signal an ordinary running signal such as the common tail light and to cause one or Vthe other of said signals to be eX- tinguished during the time theother signal is in use, andbyits extinguishment to call attention toa change taking place.

My invention comprises those .novel parts and combinations thereof which are shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification and particularly defined by the claims terminating the same.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in the formwhich is now preferred by me.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my signal as it would appear tothe ldriver of an approaching vehicle. v Y

. Figure 2 is a vertical axial section through my signal. Y

My signal is particularly adapted to be used in connection with operatingrmechanism constituting the invention claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 404,421, from which this is divided. It may, however, be used withv anyv other type of operating mechanism, either automatically fromthe vehicle controls, as shown in my application referred to above, or manually. It is best adapted, however, to be operated automatically, when the vehicle brakes are set, to show a stop signal, and to be returned automatically to non-signaling position when they are released.

My signal is adapted to be mounted within the spare tire rack at the rear of a vehicle so that a driver approaching from the Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jung 20, 1922.. Application med July 5', 192i. serial No. 482,411. i

rear may be warned ifl it is the intention olf the driver of the vehicle carryingthe signal to stop or toslacken pace, or to warn the approaching 'driver if the vehicle ahead of him has been stopped, it being difficult to determine this at night. I have shown it, therefore, as mounted within the spare tire rack T. The license plate L may be suitably secured adjacent `the signal and in position to be illuminated by a light 12 which'is used in connection with my invention. My signal comprises, in general, a disk 1 which carries thereon certain signal indicia, and which is rotatably mounted behind a shield or half disk 11. This halfdisk nor-r automatic operating means I prefer to employ. A single l signal would ordinarily suice. y Upon the half of the disk. 1 which is normally not masked bythe half disk l1, I provide an aperture 13, which may beV covered by a piece of colored glass or other transparent substance.. Mounted so that it is not masked by the half disk 1,1 is alight casing 14, in which arevmounted .one or Amore lamps 12. j An opening 15invthe upper por` tion Vofthe casing 14 permitsk light to be thrown upward to Villuminatethe license plateL. .Y y 4 The disk land the half disk 1 1 are provided with cooperating stops to position the disk 1 in either of its signalingpositions. As shown these comprise a fixedy pin 29 carried by the half disk 11, which kis positioned adjacent a cut away portion 19in the periphery of the disk 1. This cutaway portionextends substantially halfway Aabout the disk 1 and at its ends are provided shoulders 16 which form the stops. The pin 29 may be covered with a material, such as rubber, which will deaden the shock andthe sound as theshoulder 16'comes into Contact with the pin 29. n

Suitable means are provided for rotating the disk 1 from one position to another. 'These may be any that are foundsuitable or desirable and are shown herein as the bevel gears 22, which are rotatable by means of a lever 21 and a link 2 which extends forward to a connection with some suitable operating means. Means are provided for returning the disk to normal position where the aperture 13 is opposite the lamp 12 and thev word Stop is hidden, this being sliownas @spring 23- rNoimally,the aperture 13 vis in front of the A,lamp `,1 2 and the word Stop is masked by. the,half disk 1,1. Parts 'are retained in this position by the spring 23 andthe shoulders land 29. Upon lpulling forward the 2 the disk 1 is caused to `be `rotated through a h altrevolution to bring the oppositeshoulder `16 into Contact with the pin 2:9. flhisfbringslthe word Stop into Aview and masks the aperture 13 behind the half disk v11. The .word Stop may be transparent so ,thatthe light 1,2 will illuminate itat night. "Parts will remain inthis position while the link 2 is drawnrforward in opposition tothespring 23, and until 'it is permittedtolreturn tonormal position. The spring 23 ywillfthen lreturn the disk to its irstY ,position where the word Stop is hidden fand the aperture 13 is again uniiiked. i

MWhat, kI claim las my invention is:

vehie'le signal comprising a disk carrying a signal and a half diskin a parall'elplane'adapted to `mask a half or said disk,isaiddisk and half disk being relatively rotatable, oooperatinglimit stops for positioning the rotatable member in signaling .or in vnon-signaling positions only, and means t'or lrotating the rotatable member.

' 2f A vehiclesignal comprising a disk carrying alsignaha halt disk in a parallel plane adapted rto mask a half of said disk, saiddisk and .half disk'being relatively rotatable', two pairs or' cooperating stops carried by `said 4disk and half disk to position therotatable .member lin only signaling and noni-signaling positions, respectively, yield? able means :tor normally maintaining parts in vnon-,signaling position, and means for nioying'the rotatable member into signaling i position.

A vehicle signal comprising a disk carrying a signal, a half disk in a parallel plane adapted to mask a half of said disk, said .disk and ,half vdisk being relatively ro tatable, two pairs ofcooperating stops earried fby said disk and half disk to position the rotatablemember in only signaling and nonfs'ignaling positions, respectively, yieldable meansu'tor normally maintaining partsA in nnonrsignaling position, Vand means openV able automatically upon actuation of the `4L. A vehicle;signalcomprising a rotatable Vdisk carrying a signal, a stationary half-disk in a plane, parallel thereto and adapted to mask a portion thereof, two pairs -of stops,

'one'V member of each pair being carriedby thel diskandthe other member thereof being carried by the half-disk, a spring operable to maintain said disk normally ,at l`one extreme non-signaling position, andmeans vfor rotating, the disk into its opposite Yextreme or signalingposition.

5. Asvehiele signal Vcomprising a rotatable disk 'carrying a signal, the edge, ofsaid 4disk bensut awaythroushout a portionf its periphery to forni two angularly-spaced limit stops, @stationary hlfdisk, in@ Plane Parallel to ,Said dislanflad-anted to mask-ia portion thereof, a 'stop pin` secured to `,said halffdsk and .farming @stop selectively @Iieaeabl@ ,with the tw@ limit Stars .1.119011 ,the periphery of said disk, .whereby said `disk may-b automatically PQ'SiiOIfled in Signaling Q1 in11011-Ssminsibstea 'and man afar eliminati@ Penti@ .Oi 'the disk )t0 .Sigiialin'e position. Y' `i `i i l 6- A' vehielesissal Comprising a rotatable disk carrying a signahthe edgeotsaiddisk being cut awaythroughouta z'portionof its periphery .t0 form WO alieillarlyerased limit stops, astationary .half disk in ,aplane parallel to said ydisk and adapted lto iiiaskA a portion therea stop pin lse'oured ,to said half-disk and formingga V`stop selectively engag'eable with the two limit stops uponftlie periphery oi said disk, whereby saiddisk lbe automatically positioned ,in signaling or in non-signaling position, means -for automaticV rotation of' the Xdisk -to ysignaling position, a springlnormally maintaining the disk in non-signaling position, and means for eiiecting automatic rotation ofthe disk to signaling position. l

7. The-Combination, in avehicle signal, of a .fixed haii disk and a rotativelymounted disk carrying two dierent forms of signal indicia, one form upon each half ofthe disk, and positioned behind said .half disk, said half disk ,masking one only of thefforms zot signal indicia, a light Ipositioned behind said disk ata point not masked by saidhalfidisk, and one of said 'forms of indicia being trans parent to form a tail light, means forirotating said disk to unmask one form and to mask the other form of indicia, means for positioning the disk in veither signalingposition, and a spring for returning and kholding said disk to position where thelight may shine through thetail light. l Signed at Seattle, King County, Washing,

ton, this 23rdlay of J une, 1921.

wail-fran n. nooit 

